The U.S. obesity rate declined for the first time in a decade last year, coinciding with the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss meds, a new study finds. Data on almost 17 million adults nationwide showed the obesity rate — which has been rising for years — fell from 46.2% of adults in 2021 to 45.6% in… read on > read on >
Have you been boozing more often than usual? A new blood test might be able to tell if you’re damaging your liver from too many beers, margaritas or belts of scotch, researchers report. A blood-borne byproduct of alcohol consumption called phosphatidylethanol (PEth) can give doctors a fair idea of how much liver scarring has occurred… read on > read on >
Breathing in smoggy air over time can significantly raise a person’s chances for dangerous blood clots, new research shows. “What’s striking from our study is the increase in serious blood clotting disease with exposure to some of the most common types of pollutants in the air we breathe,” said study lead author Pamela Lutsey. “It’s… read on > read on >
The same technology behind COVID vaccines might be able to protect both the mother and child from a dangerous complication of pregnancy. A new mouse study published Dec. 11 in the journal Nature shows that injections based on that vaccine platform reduced the risk of preeclampsia in lab mice. Preeclampsia is persistent high blood pressure… read on > read on >
Caregiving for children or sick loved ones can be very stressful. so much so it can affect your heart health, new research shows. High caregiving stress increases risk of high blood pressure by nearly 40% among Black women ages 21 to 44, according to results published recently in the journal Hypertension. “Our analysis suggests that… read on > read on >
When an outbreak of mpox first hit the United States in 2022, a vaccine called Jynneos was available to help protect the most vulnerable population, gay and bisexual men. Now, there’s new data showing which individuals in the LGBTQ+ community were most likely to get vaccinated against the virus. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease… read on > read on >
The ancient Japanese practice of reiki “energy healing” might help some cancer patients deal with the pain that can come with infusion therapies, new research shows. “Outpatients receiving reiki during infusion reported clinically significant improvements in all symptoms, high levels of satisfaction and a qualitatively positive healing experience,” reported a team led by Natalie Dyer,… read on > read on >
Despite decades of campaigns highlighting the “baby on back” recommendation for safe infant sleep, 12% of 4-month-old babies in the United States are still put to bed lying on their sides or tummies, a new report finds. That number rises to 19% among infants aged 9 months and 23% among 1-year-olds. Putting an infant to… read on > read on >
Too much screen time can sabotage preschoolers’ sleep, potentially turning them into terrors around the house, a new study warns. Bad sleep can exacerbate children’s struggles with poor attention, hyperactivity and moodiness, researchers reported Dec. 12 in the journal Early Child Development and Care. Worse, kids can wind up in a downward spiral, with screen… read on > read on >
In news that suggest the U.S. opioid epidemic may be easing, drug overdose deaths fell 17% between July 2023 and July 2024. Per new data released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 94,000 people died from drug overdoses (ODs) during that 12-month period, down from more than 113,000 deaths between… read on > read on >
